第45部分(第3/8 頁)

　if　he　was　awake　or　asleep。　John　Coffey　was　standing　at　his　cell　door　and　watching。　〃You're　a　bad　man　and　you　deserve　to　go　in　that　dark　place；〃　he　said；　but　I　don't　think　Percy　heard　him。

Into　the　restraint　room　we　went；　Percy's　cheeks　red　and　wet　with　tears；　his　eyes　rolling　into　their　sockets；　his　pampered　locks　all　flopping　down　on　his　forehead。　Harry　pulled　Percy's　gun　with　one　hand　and　his　treasured　hickory；　head…knocker　with　the　other。　〃You'll　get　em　back；　don't　worry；〃　Harry　said。　He　sounded　a　trifle　embarrassed。

〃I　wish　I　could　say　the　same　about　your　job；〃

Percy　replied。　〃All　your　jobs。　You　can't　do　this　to　me！　You　can't！〃

He　was　obviously　prepared　to　go　on　in　that　vein　for　quite　awhile；　but　we　didn't　have　time　to　listen　to　his　sermon。　In　my　pocket　was　a　roll　of　friction…tape；　the　thirties　ancestor　of　the　strapping…tape　folks　use　today。　Percy　saw　it　and　started　to　back　away。　Brutal　grabbed　him　from　behind　and　hugged　him　until　I　had　slapped　the　tape　over　his　mouth；　winding　the　roll　around　to　the　back　of　his　head；　just　to　be　sure。　He　was　going　to　have　a　few　less　swatches　of　hair　when　the　tape　came　off；　and　a　pair　of　seriously　chapped　lips　into　the　bargain；　but　I　no　longer　much　cared；　I'd　had　a　gutful　of　Percy　Wetmore。

We　backed　away　from　him。　He　stood　in　the　middle　of　the　room；　under　the　caged　light；　wearing　the　straitjacket；　breathing　through　flared　nostrils；　and　making　muffled　mmmph！　mmmph！　sounds　from　behind　the　tape。　All　in　all；